LA Metro – Low Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) Program

The Challenge

For nearly two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, Metro suspended fare collection to ease financial burdens and protect public health. In January 2022, fares were reinstated, bringing relief to Metro’s strained budget but creating new stress for low-income riders already struggling with Los Angeles’s high cost of living.

The $1.75 base fare, while modest to some, quickly added up for families who relied on multiple daily rides. For many Angelenos living below the poverty line—nearly 17% of the population—this reinstatement risked cutting off access to essential needs like school, work, healthcare, and groceries. Metro’s Low-Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) program offered discounted and free rides, but awareness was low. Language barriers, limited internet access, and distrust of government programs made it difficult for those who needed LIFE most to enroll.

Our Approach

Metro hired Civilian to design an outreach campaign that could move at the speed of the fare reinstatement and reach riders where they were. Our approach centered on three priorities: move quickly, build trust through community-based partners, and ensure all messaging was culturally and linguistically relevant.

Within 19 days, Civilian launched a comprehensive outreach plan. We partnered with community-based organizations (CBOs) that already served low-income, immigrant, and senior populations—trusted messengers with the credibility to connect directly. Together, we developed in-language materials, hosted more than 200 community events, and distributed information through schools, churches, food distribution sites, and senior centers.

Paid media provided a second layer of reach. We ran digital and social ads, search campaigns, billboards, and local media placements to ensure riders encountered LIFE messaging across channels. Weekly coordination meetings with CBO partners allowed us to share best practices, track real-time feedback, and adjust materials on the fly. This blend of paid media and grassroots engagement made LIFE visible and accessible at every touchpoint—from someone’s Facebook feed to their local community center.

The Results

The campaign exceeded every benchmark. Paid media generated 47.6 million impressions, 404,000 clicks, and more than 21,000 new LIFE applications online. On the ground, 200+ events hosted with CBO partners reached 400,000 people directly and drove 450+ additional referrals and enrollments. 

By November—two months ahead of schedule—Metro had already achieved a 104% increase in its Half Price Passes program and more than doubled enrollment in LIFE. In total, 60,000+ riders enrolled in the program, expanding access to affordable transit across Los Angeles County.

The LIFE campaign demonstrated how fast, culturally relevant outreach can make a measurable impact on equity in transit. By pairing broad media reach with trusted community partnerships, Metro and Civilian ensured that low-income riders—those most vulnerable to the return of fares—had clear, accessible pathways to stay connected. Beyond increasing program enrollment, the campaign helped reduce confusion, complaints, and distrust, strengthening Metro’s relationship with the communities it serves.

Together, Metro and Civilian turned a potential setback into an opportunity to build trust and expand access, proving that equitable transit isn’t just about infrastructure—it’s about ensuring every rider can afford to use it.